‘Coward’: Victorian opposition leader Jess Wilson erupts over Labor’s abortion pledge
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Victoria’s Opposition Leader Jess Wilson labelled Premier Ben Carroll a “coward” and accused him of “playing politics with women’s reproductive rights” after Labor promised free abortion care to women if re-elected in November.
Victorian Health Minister Ingrid Stitt on Thursday said Labor will invest $30 million over four years to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for abortions in the state.
Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson accused Ben Carroll and the Labor government of using abortion as a “political football”. The Age
Stitt said a Victorian woman’s decision about accessing abortion should not be impacted by the cost.
“Women should never have to make a decision about their health or their right to choose based on cost,” Stitt told reporters on Thursday.
“Abortion, of course, is an important part of our health system here in Victoria and we want to make sure women can access abortion care when they make that decision free of cost.”
Stitt said a Victorian woman’s decision about accessing abortion should not be impacted by the cost.
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“Women should never have to make a decision about their health or their right to choose based on cost,” Stitt told reporters on Thursday.
“Abortion, of course, is an important part of our health system here in Victoria and we want to make sure women can access abortion care when they make that decision free of cost.”
Victorian Minister for Health Ingrid Stitt said women in the state should not fall victim to abortion postcode lottery. Luis Enrique Ascui
Wilson has previously ruled out making any changes to the state’s abortion law if re-elected.
Wilson told reporters on Thursday that it was “incredibly disappointing” to see Labor “playing politics with women’s reproductive rights five minutes before an election”.
“There will be no changes to abortion laws under a government I lead, and I just think it is incredibly disappointing to see Ben Carroll choosing to play political football with women’s reproductive rights,” she said.
Wilson went on to describe Carroll as a “coward” for not speaking publicly on the policy on Thursday.
“We are seeing an end of days government... a desperate government, and I think that Ben Carroll should be ashamed of himself,” Wilson added.
The Victorian opposition leader later confirmed to media that a Coalition government would match Labor’s abortion promise and cover out-of-pocket costs for up to 16 weeks’ gestation.
The Victorian Labor government has pledged free abortion care to women in the state if re-elected. Getty
Inside Labor's abortion policy
More than two thirds of Victorian women currently pay out-of-pocket costs in the private hospitals for abortions.
Even with a Medicare rebate, a medical abortion can cost up to $700.
Surgical abortions can cost a woman up to $1000.
Some public hospitals, community health services and GP clinics have lower fees or will fully bulk bill the procedure.
Not every Victorian public hospital provides abortion.
Under Labor’s plan, women will no longer pay GP or specialist, imaging, testing or medication fees – expected to save up to $1000 per person.
Some regional Victorian women also face a round trip of up to 700 kilometres to access abortion care, an example of what Stitt described as “postcode lottery”.
She said Labor has identified areas in the state that are “abortion deserts”.
A medical abortion can be provided up to nine weeks’ gestation, but some regional women miss this window due to cost and travel time.
One Nation’s Victorian leader Warren Pickering previously said his party wanted to reduce the gestational period for abortions to 12 weeks. The Australian Financial Review
Stitt said there will be a Safer Care Victoria review into whether medical abortion can be expanded to 12 weeks.
In Victoria, a surgical abortion is legal up to 24 weeks.
Stitt said Labor will also ramp up training for nurse practitioners and midwives who want to provide abortion care.
One Nation’s Victorian leader Warren Pickering said in 2022 that he backed a call to reduce the gestational period for any abortion in Victoria to 12 weeks.
Nine.com.au has contacted Victorian Shadow Minister for Health Georgie Crozier and Premier Ben Carroll for comment.
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